A new Mississippi Democratic Party-funded social media ad focused on the state’s $77-million welfare scandal makes a shocking claim: “In 2020 as governor, Reeves allegedly schemed with former NFL quarterback Brett Favre about diverting millions to build a new volleyball stadium.”
If true, that would buttress the ad’s overall argument that the current Republican governor was a central figure in the welfare scandal. The ad cites a December 2022 Mississippi Free Press report as its source. But that story, which I reported with William Pittman, does not back up what the ad claims. (And to be clear, neither state nor federal officials have accused nor charged Bryant, Favre nor Reeves with a crime).
Speculation Is Not Our Job
In July 2022, Gov. Reeves fired the attorney who was leading the investigation in the State’s civil lawsuit, citing concerns that the attorney was too “political” after he sought information on the volleyball stadium. (The law firm the state hired to replace him, however, continued examining the volleyball issue). Then, in September 2022, former Gov. Phil Bryant released texts with Favre showing the NFL star had also reached out to the newly inaugurated Reeves in January 2020.
Based on that information, we certainly thought it was important to examine Reeves’ actions. So, we sent his office a typewritten public-records request by mail (his office does not accept records requests sent via modern communications technology) seeking text messages he had sent or received with or about Favre since the time he became governor.
Brandon Presley, the Democratic candidate for Mississippi governor, sought to reframe the Mississippi welfare scandal as “Tategate” in a May 25, 2023, press release, implying Gov. Tate Reeves played a central role in the scandal.
The texts showed that, after the State of Mississippi cut off federal welfare money to fund the volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, Favre reached out to Reeves asking for help convincing the Legislature to appropriate regular state funds to the project. Neither ever mentioned using TANF funds or any other illegal source in the text messages.
Nothing in those texts, nor the